After the Cowboys’ 44-30 loss to the Lions on Thursday Night Football, the scoreboard wasn’t the only thing lighting up. Former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman took aim at Dallas wide receiver George Pickens, questioning his effort during a game where the Cowboys needed every ounce of firepower.
Sherman’s critique? That Pickens looked disinterested when the team was counting on him most.
That didn’t sit well with the 24-year-old receiver.
Pickens fired back on Instagram with a now-deleted post, calling out Sherman and suggesting the former corner doesn’t understand the game - a bold claim considering Sherman’s résumé. The post was emotional, unfiltered, and clearly a sign that Pickens took the criticism personally.
Sherman, never one to back down from a war of words, responded on X (formerly Twitter). He didn’t mince words, reminding Pickens - and everyone else - of his own accomplishments. Sherman pointed to his All-Pro selections, his Super Bowl appearance with the 49ers in the 2019-20 season, and his consistent dominance during his prime.
“Lol kid hasn't done enough to merit a response from me,” Sherman wrote. “I was working on my 3rd consecutive 1st team All-Pro and 2nd SB appearance at the same point in my career. Lol I made an ALL-Pro team and SB in SF, but that's the fall off for me.”
That’s not just a clap back - that’s a Hall of Fame-caliber résumé flex.
The timing of all this comes just days after Pickens himself acknowledged that he “disappeared” in the loss to Detroit. In a postgame interview, he admitted that a player of his caliber “can’t just disappear,” while also giving credit to the Lions’ defense for their game plan. It was a moment of accountability, but also a reminder of the expectations that come with being a top target in a high-powered offense.
Now, with CeeDee Lamb in concussion protocol, the Cowboys will be leaning even harder on Pickens heading into a Week 15 Sunday Night Football showdown against the Vikings. This isn’t just another game - it’s a chance for Pickens to silence critics, both external and internal, by showing up when the lights are brightest.
Whether the social media back-and-forth fuels him or distracts him remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the Cowboys need George Pickens locked in, not logged on.